


(Alm)ost

by RKS



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Crack Pairing, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-08 08:16:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11077620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RKS/pseuds/RKS
Summary: Clair and Alm get married. Faye and Celica deal with the fallout, in their own way.





	(Alm)ost

**Author's Note:**

> Done as a request for a friend, and also because I thought this was hilarious! ...it turned out to be less hilarious than I thought.

Clair and Alm’s wedding was a spectacle, as it should be. Almost the entire kingdom came to see them offer their vows, and of course, their army had front row seats. That meant that - as uncomfortable as it was - Faye was forced to writhe in her seat as she saw the man she loved marry another. It was simultaneously the worst moment of her life and the best; Alm was getting married to someone who wasn’t her, but he was the happiest she had ever seen him. It was tearing her heart in two different directions - and she felt utterly guilty at the tear. She couldn’t live like this, dedicated to a happily married man; she had to move on.

But how could she, when it was Alm?

Faye sighed as the wedding bells chimed and applause broke out; she could’ve sworn doves flew in the air as the newlyweds kissed behind the altar. Faye forced her disgustingly selfish part down and clapped as hard as she could, shrugging off Gray’s worried quips about the tears brimming her eyes.

Rose petals swam around Faye’s watery vision, and despite the blurring, there was a single clear speck. Amidst the petals, the feathers, the tears, Faye could see a red figure clapping and crying as hard as she was.

Faye looked at her. Celica looked back.

Even if she wasn’t telepathic, Faye knew that Celica’s heart was being razed just like hers.

And Faye knew that Celica could understand her just the same.

 -----------

Faye usually didn't make visits to the Zofian capital, but sometimes, the wind just happens to take her there. Settling in Ram Village didn’t seem all to pleasant when so many heartbreaking memories rested there, so Faye made it a point to travel allllllll around the world, as far as possible. Since she was a healer during the war, she took that up as her 'occupation', not seeing the light of battle but simply serving as a part-time medic to those in need (though she barely healed more than a paper cut, and was virtually just a wandering, lost nomad). Even as the years passed, as she crossed paths with Kamui multiple times, as she spotted Alm making speeches in the grand square, as she saw her heart break a thousand times over at the wedding, she still couldn’t find passion in something within her reach. The one thing that she felt her heart flutter for was...

Well.

Faye thrust those worries aside and forced her mind to focus on the one thing in front of her; her menu. If Faye ever had to say one thing besides him gave her drive, it was food. And that Strawberry Float Special on the latter side of the menu looked extraordinarily appetizing - though Faye was a little wary about the ingredients used. Was the manager one of Leon's unlucky patro---

“Faye, hi. It’s been a while.”

Faye looked up from her Strawberry Float dilemma to see Celica gently pass Faye a glass of water across the cafe’s table, ice cubes drifting slowly on the surface.  

“Celica!” Faye said, forcefully tinged with a false cheerfulness. “We haven’t talked in so long, it’s so great to see you again. Oh---” Faye puffed up the cushion next to her. “Take a seat! Take a seat!” 

“Thank you.” Celica said, softly plopping herself down on the cushion. She had her own glass of water in her hand. “I actually didn’t come here purely for smalltalk, Faye - though, of course, I would love to do some of that after. Firstly, I came here with a proposal.” 

“A proposal?” Faye said, face blank. Celica’s face turned the same color as her hair.

“It’s about Clair and Alm,” Celica said. “They’ve just gotten married, which I am, of course, happy about. You were at the reception, you should know. But, their ceremony… it forced me to confront some difficult things about myself.”

“Your feelings for Alm?” Faye said, causing Celica to choke on her drink. Faye immediately threw her arms around the coughing Celica, shouting words of worry and apologies. The few patrons in the restaurant stared at the scene - a village girl assisting what looked to be a high priestess by attempting to calm her choking wasn't exactly something you see every day. With a few well-timed slaps and muttered healing spells, Celica’s body deflated, no longer madly fidgeting. Faye gave her a soft gaze, patting Celica on the back to soothe her.

"...t-thank you for that, Faye,” Celica said around her deep breaths. “Without you, I might’ve died because of a misguided sip of water! You really wer- _are_ one of our best clerics. Truly.”

“I’m not a cleric any more,” Faye reminded her. “The war’s over. My healing isn’t really needed for anything bigger than a cut or a bruise, considering I don’t see any battle. I mean, I do travel around as a medic, but I don't heal, like, anything..." Faye shook her head. "And, er, wasn’t I the reason the water went down the wrong pipe?”

“Oh, let’s just… let bygones be bygones, okay? You saved me, and that’s all that matters, okay?” Celica said. “Well, it’s true, I like Alm. And the same is true for you, right?” 

Faye finished her sip of water. She didn’t choke. “Yes, of course, I love him. ...that doesn’t mean he loves me.” 

Celica seemed almost taken aback at Faye's bluntness, but nodded in understanding. Faye felt a little better that she wasn't the only once who had to deal with such a childish thing.

“I get you, Faye.” Celica said. “Alm is my closest childhood friend, but he left me for some... rich, pegasus floozy all of a sudden. I feel awful having to rag on Clair like this, but she feels almost unworthy. I’m happy for her, but I've known him for such a long time, and she’s only known him for a scarce few, bloody months.”

“Yes!” Faye said, raising her empty glass. A waitress hurriedly scrambled over pitcher in hand. “Clair is such a good, nice girl, but she barely knows Alm! She didn’t know him as a child, was endlessly devoted to him, left everything behind all for---”

Celica’s blush deepened into something akin to burning lava. Her glass, too, was quickly refilled by a jittery nurse. Celica took a long, deep swig, as she continued Faye's sentence for her. “She wasn’t raised and then separated from him! She hasn’t had countless disagreements, countless separations until she could finally reunite with him, and then he just said that he o-only liked me as a ---”

“---all she does is fly Alm around on her horse all day, wooing him with her… her… cursed words! Then she---” 

“---and that’s not to say that she has a lack of lovers, and Alm is her only choice! Noooo, half of this army is infatuated with her, she has her pick of the litter, so why did she go with _him_ of all people---”  
  
“---I, personally, think he’s just being shallow! Does he think she’s prettier?! Is it the blond hair? S-Should I have gotten Kliff to dye my hair blond---”  
  
“---fact is, i’m happy for him, I really am, but---”

The two of them breathed in at the same time.   
  
“All I wanted was someone who could be _there_ for me.”

Celica and Faye looked at each other immedately after - by chance, by fate, by _something_ \- they both said that last sentence together. It was almost as if it was the first time they had met. Maybe it had been - Faye hadn’t payed much attention to Celica in the months that she was in Ram. If Faye thought about it, this was quite possibly the longest conversation she had had with the priestess. Ever. 

It was kind of sad, how far childish jealousy can ruin something that could be. 

Celica was still recuperating from the intensive venting ‘exercise’ the two had gone through, but her time as being a political figure had done wonders to her ability to mask emotions. She went from a tired, desperate girl to a composed lady in seconds. Faye could admire that. 

“...Faye,” Celica said. “Would you like to hang out later? Just the two of us? Girl-to-girl?”

When Celica wore that composed yet pleading face, Faye couldn’t bring herself to say no. Faye was starting to doubt she’d say no even if Alm himself showed up with a heartbroken Clair and a newly bought wedding ring. 

“I would like that,” Faye breathed.

She looked down at her hands. They seemed lighter. She _felt_ lighter, too.

“I would like that very much.” 

\------ 

The lanterns filled the air with a soft light, lighting up the night sky for a clear vision of the crescent moon and the stars. Faye could clearly hear a slew of noisy voices, all in the center of the city's festival, partaking in the many different games that were set up. A small child - Tatiana and Zeke's, Faye distantly thought - was attempting to 'test his strength' using a miniature version of the Falchion. Tatiana was standing right next to the poor child who just _couldn't_ make it, making a few half-hearted bribes so the attendant could rig the machine so Mini-Zeke could win. Faye could see Delthea and Luthier running a fortune-telling stall of their own, which seemed to have gathered quite the bad reputation - judging from the muttered whispers of the populace, atleast. From what Faye overheard, the sibling duo always gave the 'shittiest fortunes' (Faye once got her own taken during the war. Luthier predicted that the person she loved would choose another over her, brutally murder her, and then dance over the place where she would be buried. Faye supposed that was half-right).

Celica was hanging onto Faye's arm, waving at the many people who were sending their greetings to the queen. Faye could almost forget the intense burden that Celica was carrying; despite everything, Celica was still so similar to the girl Faye barely grew up with in Ram Village. It was reassuring.

“It really does feel nice having a night out like this, Celica!” Faye said, giggling at the show. “I can’t remember the last time I just… let loose and had fun!”  
  
“Sonya directed me to this place,” Celica said. “She said that it was the perfect place to mingle and have fun, be it with a friend, alone, or a significant other. I’ll have to thank her for the glimmering recommendation!” Faye looked around the quiet - yet slightly crowded - city, dressed up prim and proper for a festival, the occasion being unknown to either of them. Despite being a relatively modern city for Valentia (and even moreso for farmgirls like herself), the cobble roads and twisting rivers reminded Faye of her more traditional Ram Village.

“You really will…” Faye murmured, looking up at the sky. “And the sky is so pretty! I can see so many stars, even in the middle of the city! ...it almost reminds me of Ram Village.”  
  
Celica tilted her head. “You know… I think you’re right. I never really appreciated how clear the skies were back in Ram. Maybe that’s why Alm chose Clair, in the end; her pegasus could probably fly allllll the way up there. I wonder how clear it is? Maybe you could see stars that we don't even know about!”  
  
Faye stayed unusually quiet, now shifting her gaze down to the koi pond. The koi were jumping at some bread a child put in, all fiercely grabbing for the first bite. A haughty yellow-black koi gobbled it up first, staking out the rest of the bread and leaving minimal for the rest. 

But there was still some. 

“Back at the Mila Shrine,” Faye suddenly said, piquing Celica’s interest. “I had to select which class I would be in for the Delieverance. Gray kept on saying that I should go with Cavalier. Tobin was advising me on selecting Archer. Kliff didn’t really care, but said Mage anyway, since he was going with that. Alm didn’t say anything - it was all up to me. I had two choices - Pegasus Knight, or---”  
  
“Cleric?”

Faye nodded. “Yes. I went with the latter, because I was a little distrustful of Slique. N-Not outwardly, but… still. And, there was another reason - I wanted to protect Alm with my healing magic. I thought I could get even closer to him if I did that. But lately, i’ve been thinking of what would’ve happened if I went with a Pegasus Knight. Clair’s a Pegasus Knight, right?”  
  
“Yes, but… I don’t think the fact that she uses a pegasus is the sole reason why he chose Clair over us.” Celica sighed. “Clair has a widely different personality than us; she’s outgoing, strong, and just a _little_ haughty. But she also shares traits with us, such as her boundless optimism and kindness.”

Faye felt herself go quiet, and also sensed Celica's worried gaze shift to her. She let out a deep breath that she had been holding for years.

“...Celica,” Faye said, looking at her lap. “Do you really think i’m kind?”

Celica tutted, and pulled Faye in for a short hug. Faye wished it lasted longer.

“Of course, Faye!” Celica assured her. “The fact that you chose the wrong man to fall in love with does not mean that you’re unkind. The contrary, in fact! Instead of hating Alm for going with someone other than yourself, you’re still friends with both Clair and Alm, right? A lesser woman would stop talking with either to spite the both.”

Faye forced a chuckle out. “You’re complimenting yourself, you know? And, anyway, I really appreciate all that you’re saying - I do, really - but don’t you think i’m being… selfish? You’ve moved on from Alm. I can’t stop thinking about him, what I could’ve done to change everything, what made Clair better than me. I feel like i’ll stay in this stupor all my life.”  
  
“Faye, I go through this too,” Celica said. Faye’s eyes widened a bit. “I just… have a better way of hiding it, that’s all. You can forget it during the day, praying and leading a nation, but you can’t really forget it when you’re flipping through a book late at night. That’s why I took you out… I thought maybe we could get over this, together.”  
  
“You really think so?” Faye said. “You think we could get over our selfishness?”  
  
Celica gave Faye a rare, genuine smile. A smile that most of Zofia would never be graced with. “I never said that we were selfish, Faye. Everyone has a crush, and everyone can get over it. It just takes time. And, well, the fact that we’re both going through the same exact thing right now just… _helps_!”

“...I suppose you’re right.” Faye said. “I actually… um, kinda like this, Celica.”  
  
Celica blinked. “Like what?” 

“Like being with you. It’s a lot of fun. You’re…” Faye’s eyes fluttered. “Like Alm, actually. But you’re different enough that I couldn’t possibly mistake one of you for the other.”

Celica was silent. She didn’t say anything - she didn’t have to. The two of them sat on that bridge as the bellowing announcers - who sounded strangely like those two Deliverance officers - began to shout that the countdown for the fireworks was going to start in thirty seconds (Which began a quick, belated argument about how that was technically a countdown for a countdown. Faye’s heart heated up at Celica’s warm laughter).

Finally, forty seconds later, the announcers seemed to decide to screw it and just send the fireworks off on their way. The ropes holding the trigger in place were shot to ribbons by one of the announcer's arrows, and the fireworks flew into the air and exploded. The amass of colors lit up the air like the auroras in the north, but with a flair that could not be naturally made by the gods. Faye cuddled into Celica some more; Celica cuddled back.

Even as the crackling of the fireworks filled her ears, Faye felt herself talk all on her own.  
  
“Celica? I have something to confess.”

Celica’s head turned to Faye’s - which wasn’t too hard to do, since Celica’s head had somehow found its way atop of Faye’s as the night had pressed on. “What is it?”

Faye looked up at Celica, the High Queen of Zofia. She reconsidered.  
  
“...nevermind,” Faye murmured. Celica’s brow furrowed.

“No, Faye, speak your mind. Nothing you say could offend me, old friend.”

Faye forced her mouth to work, even if it was completely frozen. She usually didn't force herself to talk when she didn't want to, but for some reason, she needed to get this out. She needed to share to the one person who understood her what she really felt.

Faye looked back up at Celica, the girl next door from Ram Village. Her mouth moved.

“My entire life, I've wondered if I was… just, weird. Broken, maybe. Everyone in the village had such a wide range of interests, while mine was just… Alm. I thought that I was so one-dimensional compared to everyone else, so I tried branching out, but I just couldn’t do it!” Faye said. Celica said nothing. “I tried to do magic, I tried archery, I tried every subject offered at Kliff’s school, but nothing worked! Nothing could ignite the same passion that I got for Alm. So I just… went with it. I tried so hard to find something else, but nothing worked, a-and…”  
  
Faye cleared her breath, cutting herself off. Celica’s hand found a place atop hers; it quietly alighted Faye’s heart further. “-a-and, I just… you. We’ve known each other for so long, but these past few days, you’ve been making me feel something that I haven’t felt in ages. Ever since Alm rejected me, i’ve felt so empty, but you’re making me feel all warm and fuzzy and… Celica, I want to keep on feeling these feelings. I know it’s selfish, bu-”  
  
Celica placed her finger on Faye’s lips. Faye quieted down, lost in Celica’s soothing, understanding eyes. “Faye, you’re _not_ selfish. Stop berating yourself. And, besides… I sympathize with you, in a way. It’s hard to feel something more than tiredness when you have to lead a nation. But with you… I really feel like I can relax, be myself, more than anyone else. Faye…”  
  
Celica and Faye had cast plenty of white magic on others, but for once, it felt like white magic was encompassing themselves. 

“...Faye, if you would permit me, I would love to stay with you."

Celica took her pinkie and wound it around Celica's. It was ironically childish - like it was making up for the one that Celica and Faye didn't share together because of destiny and jealousy.

"It’s a promise, okay?”  
  
The only thing Faye could do was tear up and smother Celica in a hug, nodding back and forth until it lost all meaning. Celica reciprocated the hugs, murmuring sweet nothings to her old friend.

The fireworks continued to go off. The two girls from Ram Village didn’t notice, or care.

 -----------

“...Hey, Alm?” Clair called from the heated kitchen, the oven pretty much melting her pot thanks to a silly heating misstep. “Did you hear about Celica and Faye, recently?”

“Um, no, I didn’t,” Alm said, brandishing his sword for another swing at the dummy. Its head was almost falling off from Alm's unrelenting abuse. “What about them? Did something happen?”  
  
“Alm, you need to learn how to read the mood! I’d be far more sad if they _died_ \- what do you take me for?” Clair said, attempting to pour some water on the pot to quell the flames. It didn’t work. “Apparently, they started dating!”  
  
The second the last word came out of Clair's mouth, Alm's sword managed to slip and jab through the heart of the dummy. His legs could barely keep him upright as he twisted his shell-shocked body to face an overstressed Clair - though, she was panicked for different reasons than him. 

“They’re DATING!? Hold on, hold on, since when?!”  
  
“Since now!” Clair forced out, pouring the remains of the stew into the trash can. The edge of the trash can began to tinge with flames. Clair’s eye twitched. “A-Apparently, they started going out! I suppose their Ram Village ties brought them together, how funny…!”  
  
“Clair! S-Stop destroying the kitchen, and let’s get answers!” Alm said, storming into the kitchen. He unhinged his sword from its dummy sleath and began to pound it against the fiery trashcan that was threatening to take ahold of their kitchen; Clair was busy reading the letter and not burning to death. “How did I NOT realize that my two best friends had a crush on each other?!”  
  
Out of nowhere, Alm experienced something akin to the world freezing. The fire that was probably going to kill the two newlyweds seemed to stop existing; the only things that remained of the world was him in an awkward pose, and Clair, whose arms were folded over themselves. Her face was… well.

If Clair’s look could end a war, Alm would still be in Ram Village. 

“Alm, you are an adorably idiotic, hypocritical man. Times like these are when I wonder why you married me, when every girl in either army wanted your hand!”

“...they wanted my what?”  
  
“Alm, THIS is what i’m talking about!”

**Author's Note:**

> I did this late at night because I couldn't sleep and I had a flash of inspiration, so it's 100% unedited! I hope you enjoyed the works of my sleep-addled brain. I will probably edit this more thoroughly later.


End file.
